PhD Qualifying Exam
What Is the Qualifying Examination? Heading link
All Ph.D. students must take and pass a written qualifying examination in order to advance to doctoral candidacy. The qualifying exam is at the level of advanced undergraduate courses and many resources are available to students to aid in preparing for the exams, including previous years’ exams.
Please note all students, regardless of their academic standing, are eligible to take the qualifying exam.
Examination schedule Heading link
| Day | Time | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday,1/2/2024 | 9 am - noon (CST) | Quantum Mechanics |
| Wednesday,1/3/2024 | 9 am - noon (CST) | Electromagnetism |
| Thursday,1/4/2024 | 9 am - noon (CST) | Thermal and Statistical Mechanics |
| Friday, 1/5/2024 | 9 am - noon (CST) | Classical Mechanics |
Please note: Heading link
All exams will be held in SEL 2294. Note that SEL doors will be locked during this week. SEL building access will be added to your i-card when you register for the exams with James Nell.
Additional Background and Preparation Materials Heading link
The following list of textbooks should give you an indication of the minimum level at which you should prepare yourself for the qualifying exam. Remember that qualifying problems are typically at the level of the more difficult homework problems of our 400-level courses offered at UIC. To be successful at the qualifying exam both a solid understanding of the material and analytical skills are necessary. The latter requires basic mathematics and practicing problem solving.
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Textbooks
Mechanics
- Fowles, Analytical Mechanics
- Marion and Thornton, Classical Dynamics and Systems
- R. Becker, Introduction to Theoretical Mechanics
Electromagnetism
- Griffiths, Introduction to Electrodynamics
- Reitz, Milford and Christie, Foundations of Electromagnetic Theory
Quantum Mechanics
- Griffiths, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
- Amit Goswami, Quantum Mechanics
- Stephen Gasiorowicz, Quantum Physics
- N. Zettili, Quantum Mechanics
- Liboff, Introductory Quantum Mechanics
Thermodynamics, Statistical Mechanics
- Adkins, Equilibrium Thermodynamics
- Daniel Schroeder, An Introduction to Thermal Physics
- Reif, Statistical Mechanics
- Kroemer and Kittel, Thermal Physics